


Hollow

by xTarmanderx



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, References to Depression, the character death is not Thiam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-11-14 03:48:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18044876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/pseuds/xTarmanderx
Summary: Liam never expected to get this kind of phone call.





	Hollow

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings for discussions of suicide and depression in this.

“He’s gone.”

Two simple words had the ability to destroy Liam’s entire life. Two words that carried the weight of the world and tilted it violently on its axis. Two words that could never be taken back.

The ground seemed to disappear beneath his feet and he crumpled to the floor, phone falling uselessly onto the carpet. Distantly he could hear someone saying his name, but it felt like everything was coming through a filter. There was no way this was real. It couldn’t be, could it? This had to be some kind of cruel prank. Something concocted to make his IED flare up and for him to yell and spend a few days angry with his best friend before he eventually forgave him. Mason couldn’t be gone.

Heavy footsteps thundered on the stairs and Liam could distantly hear Theo saying something on the phone. The line clicked a moment later and warm arms came around his chest, lifting him up. There was a ringing in his ears that didn’t seem to make any sense, but nothing did at the moment. “Theo,” he croaked out weakly.

“I’ve got you.” A low voice murmured in his ear, a heavy hand stroking down his arm.

“Mason. I need...” Liam swallowed hard and tried to snap himself out of it. He curled his fingers into Theo’s shirt, reaching for his phone. He pressed speed dial and hit the speaker button, his hand shaking so badly that he couldn’t see the name on the screen.

“Hey, you’ve reached Mason Hewitt. Sorry I can’t come to the phone right now, but if you leave your name and number, I’ll call you back soon. Thanks!” The cheerful tone made Liam’s stomach clench and he ended the call before he could hear the beep.

“What happened?” Theo asked quietly, taking the phone from him. Liam shook his head, hiding his face against Theo’s shoulder as sobs wracked his body. He couldn’t begin to understand it.

*

Some time later, Liam woke to find Theo curled around him in the middle of his bed. His phone buzzed on the nightstand, lighting up the dark room, and warm arms squeezed around his waist. Squinting at it, he reached over and lifted the device up and scrubbed a hand over his eyes. Reality viciously crashed down as he saw the flurry of texts in the pack group chat and numerous missed calls and voicemails. His phone hit the mattress and he squeezed his eyes shut, shuddering as he tried to remember how to breathe. Mason was gone. It wasn’t just some bad dream.

“Hey,” Theo murmured against the back of his neck. “Breathe with me, Liam. Nice and slow. In, out.” His hand shifted over Liam’s heart, pressing him back against Theo’s chest. He tried to do as told, struggling to focus on Theo’s steady heartbeat. “In. Out. In. Out. Good,” his boyfriend coached. He repeated that for the next couple of minutes, murmuring encouragements and directions. When Liam finally had it under control, Theo’s hold loosened and a soft kiss touched the back of his shoulder. “I’m sorry, love.”

“Did you talk to Corey?” Liam asked. He wasn’t sure what he wanted the answer to be. It wouldn’t change anything.

“He told me that he took a handful of pills and his roommate found him.” Theo said quietly. Liam’s breath caught and he nodded, clenching his teeth.

“I fucking hate him.”

“You don’t.” No, he didn’t. What he hated was that he hadn’t known. None of them had.

“Corey said he’d been there for hours before they found him.” Liam whispered. How long had Mason suffered on his own, waiting for death to claim him? Had he regretted it in his final moments? Had he tried to call for help? If Liam had just remembered to return his call from the night before, would it have changed anything?

“I spoke to him when you first fell asleep. Liam...he found a journal. Mason has....he’d been going through a really hard time. Did you know he was seeing a counselor?” Theo asked quietly. Liam shook his head, swallowing hard. “Corey said Mason had been diagnosed with depression two years ago.”

“During our junior year? But...he never said anything to me.”

“Corey didn’t know either. It was the start of the journal, I guess. Something his therapist wanted him to do. He...” Theo hesitated, as if weighing his options, and Liam exhaled shakily.

“Tell me.” He needed to know. Whatever it was, he needed to understand it. He needed to try.

“He never forgave himself for sophomore year. When he was the Beast and killed all of those people. He’s been carrying that guilt around and none of us talked to him about it. We all just moved on, according to Mason. And fuck, Liam. I never asked. I-“

“Don’t.” Liam covered Theo’s hand and squeezed tightly. “Don’t do that to yourself. We...he didn’t...none of us knew. He didn’t want us to.” He was the worst best friend in the world. How had he not seen any of the signs? He’d asked once during the summer between sophomore and junior year and Mason had told him that everything was fine. It was obviously a lie. How many details had he missed, clues that Mason wasn’t as okay as he presented himself to be? “What else did he say?”

“That the funeral will be this Sunday. He’s driving down tomorrow with Mason’s mom.”

“I’ll let our classmates know.” Liam said, reaching for his phone again. He sat up, weakly shaking his head as Theo made a noise of protest. He needed to keep busy. He needed to do something with his life and not get trapped in his own head. Opening up his contact menu, he scrolled through it and began tapping out the first of many messages.

*

The next couple of days passed in a blur for Liam. He felt like he was constantly at war with himself, burying his anger and sadness and lashing out at his friends and family every time he turned around. He couldn’t wrap his head around what had happened. No one could. Facing Corey had felt impossible and he’d broken down the second their eyes had met. Helping Mason’s mom put together a slideshow for the funeral had felt like torture, but Liam had scanned and emailed photographs out of his mother’s scrapbooks for hours on end. Theo had been the one to pull him away from the task, assuring him that he’d sent more than enough and Mason’s mom had what she needed. It had turned into Liam screaming at Theo, cussing him out and throwing a fist before he’d collapsed in a heap of sobs. Everything felt twisted and wrong.

The funeral was beautiful. Mason’s former pastor presided over the service, sharing childhood stories of Mason and Liam and telling other stories that Liam had never heard. He hadn’t been able to keep himself together, but Theo’s steady presence at his side had helped. By the time they’d made it across the street to the graveyard, Liam was pretty sure there were no tears left on him. His entire being seemed to ache all at once and as the pastor hugged Mason’s family and offered his condolences, Liam wished that he were the one being buried. Strong fingers tangled with his own and he squeezed until he couldn’t feel his hand anymore.

The crowd began to disperse, family members and friends catching up with each other. Liam steered away from the others, sitting down in front of the casket that had yet to be lowered into the ground. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say right now. I hate that you’re gone. I’d give anything to rewind this past few days and do something differently. Hell, these past few years. I should have known...and I’m so sorry.” He whispered to the wind. A shadow fell over him and he sighed, keeping his gaze fixed ahead. “I didn’t know you were coming, Coach.”

“I wanted to make sure you were okay.” The older man said, voice soft for a change.

“I don’t know what that means anymore.”

“It sucks. It’s always the happiest ones that you’ve got to look out for. Mason was a good kid. I know you two were like brothers. Things like this are hard to swallow. There are always dips in the road and you can’t always see the other side and you sometimes forget there’s something ahead. I just wish Mason had stayed on the road a little bit longer.” Coach Finstock murmured softly. There was a beat of silence and then: “If you ever feel this low, reach out and talk to me. Don’t keep it in. People care about you, Dunbar. People cared about him, too. Promise me you’ll reach out if things ever get this bad for you. Supernatural or not, I’m here to talk.”

“I promise.” Despite the hollow feeling in his chest, Liam knew he meant it. Mason had lost his battle with depression, but he had fought for a long time. His loss ripped Liam to shreds, but as he took a glance around the graveyard and saw so many gathered there in support of one another, he was reminded that the hard times always pulled people back together. He didn’t have to be so alone in his grief.

**Author's Note:**

> I just needed to let out some of my emotions. One of my high school best friends recently committed suicide and I am still trying to process everything. 
> 
> If you ever consider suicide, please reach out to someone for help. My inbox is always open and I have a tumblr under this same username. I’m always here if you need someone.


End file.
